


1 Year Before Case One

by AnExhaustedArmadillo



Series: Case One [16]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Businessmen, Established Relationship, M/M, Turmoil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21590593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnExhaustedArmadillo/pseuds/AnExhaustedArmadillo
Summary: Lewis and Dick after Dick gets back from deployment.
Relationships: Lewis Nixon/Richard Winters
Series: Case One [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1438132
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1 Year Before Case One

There were a lot of things that Winters had missed when he was deployed, but Lew was undoubtedly the highest on that list.

Nix was waiting for him at the airport when his plane landed. Winters felt his heart soar when he saw his partner. Lew was dressed more casually than he normally was, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that was still tight enough to highlight his toned figure. He had sunglasses on and wore the mischievous smile that had first drawn Winters to him.

Lew pulled him into a hug when he saw him, and Winters felt more relief than he had in ages, pulling Nix’s body close to his and breathing in his familiar scent.

“I missed you,” Nix whispered in his ear and Winters smiled.

“I missed you, too,” He said, and held Nix for another moment before stepping away, hands dropping down to hold Nix’s.

“I got a hotel for a few days, if you wanted to stay there for a bit before heading home,” Nixon offered, and Dick smiled.

“Star rating?” He teased.

“Five, of course.”

“Then I guess that’ll do,” Winters said, and Nix laughed, reaching to grab Dick’s bag and help him with his luggage.

“Oh, you _guess_ that’ll do?”

“I’m sure anything would beat the rock I slept on over there,” Winters said, and Nixon smiled at him brightly, leading him out of the airport.

***

A few hours later, the two of them were lying next to each other in the hotel bed, naked and chests heaving.

“I really did miss you,” Nix said, and Winters laughed.

“You sure you didn’t just miss what we just did?”

“No,” Nixon said, and he rolled over and placed his head on Dick’s shoulder. “I missed the other things we do, too.” And the two of them chuckled lightly.

“What’re we doing here, Lew?” Winters asked, and Nixon looked up at him.

“We’re celebrating your return,” He said lightly, fingers tapping on his chest, but Winters looked at him seriously, sitting up against the backboard, which forced Nixon to sit up and look at him head on.

“We’ve been together for over three years.”

“And…?” Nixon prompted him.

“And we haven’t even moved in together,” He said, and Nixon sighed. “I’m not saying we need to get married tomorrow, but I’d like to know that this is serious.”

“It _is_ serious,” Lewis assured him. “It just also needs to be… discreet.”

“Because of your father?” Winters asked, and Nix pursed his lips.

“You know I’d change it if I could.” Winters rolled his eyes.

“He’s not the boss of you, Lew.”

“Technically, he is,” Nix argued. “And if he found out we were together he’d kick me out of the company, no questions asked.”

“Would that be so bad?” Winters said, and Nixon looked at him like he’d just suggested they forfeit all worldly possessions and move to Kuwait.

“What?”

“I mean it,” Winters said. “It’s long hours and you don’t like it that much. And you know how I feel about chemical weapons.”

“It pays the bills,” Nixon said, as if that was the final word on the matter.

“You have a business degree from Harvard,” Dick pointed out. “You mean to tell me you couldn’t get another high paying job at any other company in the country?” Nixon sighed again.

“You just got back,” He said. “Can we please not fight about this tonight?”

“But-” Winters started, but Nix took that as his cue to rise to his knees, leaning towards his partner, determined to change the topic.

“Please,” He whispered breathily, and kissed both of Dick’s cheeks. “Not tonight.” And he wrapped one hand around the back of Winter’s head, the other working its way under the sheet covering Dick’s legs. He bit and kissed Winter’s neck.

“Nix,” Winters said. “We really have to-” He was barely able to get the words out.

“Do you want me to stop?” Nix asked, and took in Winters blown out pupils.

“No,” Dick confirmed, and brought his mouth to Lew’s, kissing ferociously, and proving to Nix just how much he’d missed him.

***

They avoided the conversation for a while, until Winters announced his retirement a few months later.

“There’ll be a ceremony and I’d like you to be there,” Winters said over dinner one night.

“Of course I’ll be there,” Nix said, spooning linguini into his mouth. “Any idea what you’ll do when you get out?”

“I got my degree in finances,” He said. “So I was thinking something business, or accounting.”

“You’d hate sitting behind a desk,” Nixon said, and Winters gave a small smile, and reached out to grab Nix’s hand across the table.

“Maybe. But I’ve had enough of the army, that’s for sure,” He said. Then, after a small pause, “My dad owns and manages a pretty big restaurant and he’s actually looking to retire, too. He said he’d give it to me if I wanted it.”

“Oh, well that sounds fun,” Nix said happily. “That sounds a little more hands on than a typical office job.”

“Yeah,” He agreed. “The only problem is that it’s in Chicago. Not exactly close to Nixon Chemicals’ HQ.”

“We have an office based in Chicago,” Lew assured him, squeezing his hand. “I’m sure I could make up plenty of reasons to visit there. We’d still see each other.”

Winters frowned, pulling his hand out of Nix’s, “I don’t want to “see each other”, Lew, I want to _be_ together. If you want to stay in New York, I’ll stay here with you. If you want to move to Chicago then that’s where we’ll go. But I don’t want to shape my life around you when you won’t even be with me.”

“I’m with you right now, Dick,” Lew pointed out, though even he had to admit it was a weak point. He tried a different approach. “You know I love you.”

“And I love you,” Dick said. “That’s the problem. I love you so much that I’ve been willing to put up with your lack of commitment, but I can’t anymore.”

“What are you saying?” Nixon asked, brows furrowed.

“I’m saying that I want… I _need_ more. I want to move in together. I want to start a life.”

“I can’t tell my dad,” Nixon said darkly, and Winters shook his head.

“You _won’t_ tell your dad, and that’s what’s holding us back.”

“I love you,” Lew tried again.

“Not more than you love your job,” Dick said, and he could see the words cut Lew like a knife, but he didn’t stop. “Not more than your lifestyle. I’m ready to have more, Lew. Come find me when you are.” And with that, Winters got up and left.

“Dick!” Nix called after him, but it was no use. He was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> >:). Hope you liked it! Let me know how you felt in the comments <3.


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